This year the participation in the 4th International Chess Festival “Terre degli Elimi” has been remarkable – a total of 100 players which is an absolute record for Sicily.
There were 82 players in the Open A and 18 in the Open B – among them 35 foreign players from 14 countries.
Again the wonderful city of Erice hosted our Festival! Erice which is situated in western Sicily (Italy) is only 15 km away from airport “Vincenzo Florio” in Trapani (Ryanair Hub) and is a true and proper tourist pearl of Sicily.
Located about 700 meters above sea level it is overlooking the Mediterranean sea and from almost every corner you can enjoy breathtaking views and even see Mount Etna in the distance.
The list of invited foreign chess masters included GM Vladimir Georgiev, trainer of the former women’s world champion Antoaneta Stefanova; the Bulgarian IM Petar Arnaudov; the Polish WGM Katarzyna Toma and Marta Przezdziecka; the Dutch WIM Anne Haast and Arlette Van Weersel; the Argentine U20 Champion WIM Ayelen Martinez; the three times Hungarian champion Anna Rudolf all for the first time in Sicily; the Slovenian WFM Ksenija Novak, IM Zivojin Ljubisavljevic from Serbia and finally two smart Italian young players CM Daniela Movileanu and FM Miragha Aghayev.
The festival started at 4pm on July 24, 2013 after a short and dynamic open ceremony whit a multimedia presentation of the masters and the greetings of our President Salvatore Oddo.
The competition was held at Palazzo Sales in Erice and was attended by some of the best players of Sicily such are Andrea Amato, Fabrizio Ganci and Girolamo Valguarnera, as well as many young chess players like Morello, Bifulco, Corsino, Marzaduri, Savalla, Piazza and Iannello brothers. Moreover, our chess masters have also had time to visit the beautiful places near Erice like Trapani, San Vito lo Capo, Segesta, Scopello and Favignana.
At the end of the seven rounds, FIDE master Andrea Amato of the “Circolo Palermitano Scacchi” won deservedly but also unexpectedly with 6/7 not losing a single games. GM Vladimir Georgiev took the 2nd place with 5.5/7 and third with the same score, the talented Polish WGM Marta Przezdziecka.
Four other players: the Bulgarian IM Petar Arnaudov, the strong Dutch players Cor van Dongen and Floris Van Assendelft, and Anna Rudolf also scored 5,5 / 7.
The joy for the victory of Andrea Amato was huge Everyone in the room applauded for a long time winner of the “Terre degli Elimi ” and the present writer took him in triumph as long as he could. Andrea is not a professional player but a pure amateur.
The IM Frenchman Claude Adrian has played a great tournament finishing seventh overall and first in the range elo 2000/2299.
The Hungarian WGM Anna Rudolf gets the first prize among women and Polish WGM Katarzyna Toma the second.
The participation of the Dutch players was very good and large with 12 strong players that have concluded almost all in high positions in the final standings: Van Dongen 5th, Van Assendelft 6th, Lammens 9th, Bart Konijn 11th and second of 2000/2299 range, Arlette Van Weersel 13 th and third of women players; Jan Joris Groenewold 14th and Rick Duijker 15th.
Very good performance of young Sicilians player: Gianluca Corsino gets the prize of the first of the Italians players before Tiziano Ravagnani and Miragha Aghayev; Riccardo Marzaduri is the first of the Sicilian players before Andrea Spinella and Guido Morello.
The B Open was won by the French Louise Adrian with 6.5 / 7, the second was the German Hanne Schneider and third the sicilian player Michele Colicchia of Marsala.
The prizes in books (more than 400 €) were offered by Yuri Garrett of “Caissa Italia”.
Final Standing (top 10):
1. M Amato Andrea 2291 2511 – 6
2. GM Georgiev Vladimir 2544 2444 – 5.5
3. WGM Przezdziecka Marta 2297 2443 – 5.5
4. IM Arnaudov G. Petar 2487 2456 – 5.5
5. Van Dongen Cor 2357 2336 – 5.5
6. IM Van Assendelft Floris 2381 2411 – 5.5
7. IM Adrian Claude 2221 2332 – 5.5
8. WGM Rudolf Anna 2301 2429 – 5.5
9. FM Lammens Tim 2316 2299 – 4.5
10. IM Masternak Grzegorz 2339 2271 – 4.5
At the end the organization has offered an official lunch at the restaurant “La Pineta” in Erice. An opportunity to greet each other in joy. See you next year in Erice!
What a beautiful place.